2 Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment: Administering and Interpreting Results
This binder details how to score and interpret the results of the Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA). This course is Unit 4 of the Texas Adolescent Literacy Academy (TALA). These materials are available for view only; no credit or certificate is provided.
The Write Way
Students will use a graphic organizer to draft the introduction paragraph of their expository essays.
Analyzing and Using Organizational Patterns
Students used organizational patterns (compare and contrast, argumentative, cause and effect, problem and solution, chronological) to create anchor charts. Students then worked in groups to analyze text and plan a composition, using the anchor charts to complete the tasks. Ultimately, students created a plan from a self-generated topic to demonstrate an understanding of the use of organizational patterns.
Which Organizational Pattern Is It?
Students will read a text, identify its organizational pattern, highlight signal words, create a visual representation/graphic organizer, and present to the class.
Students during Task
Finding Clues to Solve Equations and Inequalities
Students will solve one variable two-step equations and inequalities using a variety of materials while working independently and collaboratively in learning stations.
Strike a Pose
The students will solve two-step equations through modeling, expressing algebraically, and writing out the steps to their solutions.
Rational Number Stations
Students will visit two different stations and work as a group to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.
Solving Rational Equations
Students will discuss and formulate an equation to solve an engaging real-world problem. They will use manipulatives to describe how to find the common denominator they need to solve the equation. They will break up into groups and solve for a more complicated problem.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson. The highlighted student expectation(s) is the chosen focus for the Research Lesson.
Area of Composite Figures
Student groups will work collaboratively using the appropriate formulas to find the area of simple figures and combine the area of each shape to find the area of composite figures in real-world situations.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson. The highlighted student expectation(s) is the chosen focus for the Research Lesson.
Diagramming Dinosaurs
Students will use a verbal representation to explore a constant rate of change in the size of dinosaurs over a period of time and represent their data by graphing.
Crime Scene Inferences
In learning stations, students use textual evidence and personal schema to generate inferences, make generalizations, and draw conclusions to support understanding about expository text.
Inferring: It’s a Beast!
Using a digital forum, seventh-grade students will collaboratively generate authentic inferences about character motivation. Students will utilize textual evidence and draw from personal schema in order to make logical connections across multiple genres.
Modeling and Solving Two-Step Equations
Students will use various materials to create models of two-step equations. Then, they will take an equation, create their own model, and solve for the variable from the model.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Related to the Unit
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Equations and Inequalities
Using a graphic organizer, students will write and solve a one-variable, two-step equation using the distributive property. They also will draw a picture and justify their solution.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
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Does Paper Have Volume?
Students will be involved in a problem-solving lesson to determine if paper has volume, find the volume of a piece of paper and a ream of paper, and determine how many pieces of paper will fit inside their classroom.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Related to the Unit
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Discovering the Ratio of Pi
Students will discover the ratio of pi by relating the circumference to the diameter of various circles. Students will use this ratio to approximate the formulas for circumference.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson. The highlighted student expectations are the chosen focus for the Research Lesson.
Volume of Triangular Prisms
Students will use hands-on manipulatives to discover the connection between the shape of the base and the height to determine the volume of a prism.
Remembering Leaders
Students will read expository text, categorize findings, and reformulate the text into an obituary.
Teacher poised for modeling
Compound Probability: Independent vs. Dependent Events
Students will review steps for solving compound probability problems through an activity involving doughnuts. Students will then determine the difference between independent and dependent events through compound probability task cards. To encourage students to work through their struggle, students will rate themselves on a scale measuring effort and achievement at the end of the lesson.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson. The highlighted student expectation(s) is the chosen focus for the Research Lesson.